The Scorpion's Secret
by Maskgirl
Summary: Scorpious discovers a horrifying secret about himself
1. Default Chapter

The Awakening of a Scorpion  
  
I do not own Farscape all characters are property Jim Henson's. I do own the original idea in the story. So please leave any comments or input behind.  
  
Prologue  
  
I stalked out the airlock into Moya. Her corridors seemed far darker than I remembered as I tried to reach my tiny cell unnoticed, my head churning with dark thoughts. I failed.  
  
I jolted to awareness as a hand stopped me, "Scorpy what's the matter did some one put your cat in the aurora chair?" sneered John the ungrateful trelk whom I had protected for over a cycle.  
  
My weakness must have been obvious; normally the human would not even touch me let alone act so disrespectfully.  
  
"My dear John, I would never own anything as weak and useless as your kat," I sneered. "If your primitive mind has forgotten the report I gave you than go bother someone else."  
  
I made to leave for my quarters but John stopped me again. The rest of the crew from the pod had finally reached us by this time.  
  
"John, show some compassion and let him go!" snapped D'Argo my unlikely rescuer. D'Agro is a Luxan, a warrior race not known for their compassion but then neither is the Peacekeepers.  
  
I left them alone as D'Argo handed John and his mate the red disk with the words Project Scorpious written on the cover. I was all too familiar with the contents now though I sincerely wished I wasn't.  
  
When I got to my cell I pulled off my leather hood and leaned into my sink mirror. What I saw was the me I had tried to hide especially from myself. I saw a pale, sickly and pathetic creature worn out and scarred from cycles of fighting and struggle. Though by my reckoning I am just over a cycle old.  
  
All my life had had risked and lost everything fighting the Scarrens who I thought were monsters I now see that I was wrong. It was the Peacekeepers, my allies, my home that are the monsters. 


	2. A tale is told

Chapter 1 A Tale is Told  
  
A few arns later my mate Sikzou found me wrapped up in a blanket sitting on the forward observation chamber's floor, watching the stars. It was one of the few pleasures I had left in my life.  
  
She shivered slightly as Pilot had kindly lowered the temperature for my comfort and safety. Then her eyes widened in surprise, as she saw I no longer wore my black cooling suit.  
  
"I no longer want to wear that suit any longer," I said answering her unspoken question. "It was part of a lie that I no longer wish to take part in."  
  
"Tell me what happened," she asked sitting down. Now her growing belly showed. How I wished that the child were ours or at least hers.  
  
"You heard my report, saw the disk. You already know."  
  
"I want to hear it from you."  
  
I sighed and played idly with her beautiful red hair. " Very well where to start.."  
  
Quite frankly a being as brilliant as myself should have realized something was not quite right with my life. For one thing the first twelve cycles of my life are a blur, just a procession of one painful experience after another. Also from the time I wandered the galaxy, before the Peacekeepers I had acquired no allies or enemies. It was almost as if I never existed.  
  
And then there are the blackouts I experienced, followed by the gaps in my memory. The latest being when Graza shot me the back. Every time it happened I would wake up in some hospital ship weekens later with no recollection of how I got there. My body coordination would be shot all to frell. It was the price of being reborn.  
  
I never really questioned it. The memories I had seemed far too real but that is the way of the Peacekeepers not to question and I was too busy trying to get my revenge on the Scarrens. I suppose I was programmed not to question them.  
  
Once when I remember seeing a psychiatrist actually recreating with one not using him appropriately when he praised me.  
  
"Scorpius you are amazing," Trellip exclaimed. "No Sebacian child could have survived, let alone have become functional after what you went through being raised as a lab experiment Goddess knows where. By all rights you should have been a cowering idiot, but you, my magnificent one, have survived, managed to educate yourself and become a brilliant astrophysicist. It must be your Scarren half."  
  
I was young and naïve. I merely broke his nose for what I took to be an insult. A few days later he disappeared never to be heard of again. I garnered a lot of respect from that incident but I never told anyone save you about what Trellip said to me.  
  
Through the cycles I worked tirelessly in an effort to defeat the Scarrens. I became more of a Peacekeeper than purebred soldier could ever be. Because of that I quickly rose up the ranks gaining respect in the scientific community but not with the military. I was still a hybrid, impure in their minds.  
  
So it was really quite an achievement for me, a scientist and a half blood, to acquire command of a Gammak base. There while I was studying to create the ultimate weapon, wormholes I met John Crichton.  
  
It turned out Crichton was trying to create wormholes too. Thinking he was a spy for the Scarrens I captured him. After I interrogated him he managed to escape and destroy my Gammak base and along with it my home, several allies and many cycles of work. But not before I put my neural chip into his brain.  
  
Eventually after chasing him for a couple of cycles, he came to me. I gave him everything he asked for but he still betrayed me, destroying the command carrier I commandeered. Crichton says that I hurt him terribly that there was no justification for what I did to him. But what about what he did to me? He destroyed my home, twice, ruined cycles of work and caused the death of my mistress and child.  
  
But I am digressing, now without a home or any standing left with the Peacekeepers I managed to find his mate, Aeryn Sun and rescue her from the heat death, on one condition that I be allowed safe passage on Moya. I wanted to protect John and the knowledge he possessed and several times I have risked my own safety to do so. Despite this John still treats me with contempt.  
  
How did I find out what I was? It all started about a couple of monenes ago after we escaped from the Command Carrier. Despite John and Aeryn's convincing deaths Bracca and his armada still hunted us. There was no reason to go after an ill hybrid and a worn out leviathan and through tormented space too.  
  
Bracca hunted us mercilessly, sometimes even waiting for us. It was obvious that we were being monitored and Pilot scanned every speck of Moya for any transmissions to Bracca. There were none that could be detected technologically from Moya but scans of Bracca's fleet picked up something interesting.  
  
Somewhere deep in the uncharted territories Bracca was receiving messages about our location. Since the crew aren't overly fond of us, I knew about as much as you did. That is until Crichton and cronies, drugged us and dragged me from your bed in the middle of the night watch.  
  
I confess normally I'm not such a sound sleeper but you my love make me feel safe. When I awoke, I lay flat on the ground staring up the barrels of several unfriendly guns.  
  
"You bastard! You set us up! Tell me why I shouldn't shoot you right frelling now," said John. He pushed me back down as a tried to stand up.  
  
I could hear the clicks of several pulse rifles as their safeties were deactivated. Unless I said something quickly I would have been dead. You would have been proud of me I did not show one hint of fear. I learned early on that showing fear only makes things much worse.  
  
"John, like or not this us you're talking about includes Sikzou and myself. And what are you talking about setting you up?"  
  
Aeryn muttered something about me being a half-breed liar.  
  
"This half-breed has saved your life three times Aeryn. This half-breed and his mate are presently treating Pilot of the injuries he suffered at your hands when you wisely tried to separate him from Moya. May I remind you John that not everything bad in your life is my fault, you do plenty of damage on your own."  
  
Aeryn stepped forward and struck me, "You've been sending telepathic messages to Bracca. We hired a shaman and she told us that you have been sending telepathic messages to a secret base in the uncharted territories.  
  
This time I did loose my calm. The feeling was so intense I had no choice and once I started I couldn't stop. I laughed, " Oh that's a good one. You've obviously fallen for the oldest trick in time. Shamans are frauds! The woman knew you were looking for a scapegoat, saw that I was the least popular member in the crew and told you what you wanted to hear. I am not telepathic, never have been."  
  
"Then why did she give us the exact coordinates?" said D'Argo in a low dangerous voice.  
  
John the good guy Crichton pointed his gun directly in my face, "Maybe she was a fraud but frankly Grasshopper we have no use for you anymore."  
  
"And what about my mate? Are you going to shoot her too after she gives birth to you and Aeryn's child?"  
  
There was an uncomfortable silence around the pack as they looked round and realized in their collective little minds that that was exactly what they were going to do.  
  
"That's it, I knew you were trying to use Aeryn and the baby!" roared John.  
  
"I am not using the baby," I said. " It is you who are using Sikzou. She took the baby because Aeryn couldn't carry it to term. Yet you treat her with disdain, she who has been a loyal crewmember.  
  
Then it happened an opportunity, from our comms Pilot spoke, "Moya and I have been hearing everything and after what Scorpious and Sikzou have done for us we feel he should be given a chance to prove himself."  
  
"Well what do you suggest Pilot? That we go down to that base and see for ourselves," butted in Chiana.  
  
"That is exactly what I am suggesting," said Pilot.  
  
"Well tell me where I'm going," I said.  
  
"The base is called Meserat 12."  
  
"You must be joking," I blurted out. 


	3. Travel Preparations

Chapter 2 Travel Preparations  
  
"Meserat 12 is an ultra secret Peacekeeper base," I continued. " Access is granted to only purebred peacekeepers of the highest rank. Any non- Sebacian caught trying to enter Meserat 12 is summarily executed. I'm not even supposed to know about it."  
  
"How convenient" said D'Argo.  
  
"It most certainly isn't," I snapped back. "My life and Sikzou's depend on proving you Frellniks wrong. I can create convincing computer identities, realistic personal holographic grids but I cannot change the DNA in any of us. Meserat 12 does long distance body schematics and DNA scans. Anyone who is not Sebacian who comes within one parsec of Meserat 12 is interrogated and killed."  
  
"I think you just don't want to go to Meserat 12," said Rygel as he hovered on his throne.  
  
"I don't even want to go anywhere near Peacekeeper territory. They got what they wanted from me and have thrown me away like a styrene cup." I countered.  
  
Noranti the old witch, walked up to the front and smiled evilly, " Captain D'Argo, I think I might have a solution." Then she threw some foul smelling powder in my face and I knew no more.  
  
When I woke up on the infirmary bed my head was aching and my jaw was aching more. Noranti hauled me to my feet. As I stood woozily she announced smugly, " Scorpious has indeed been transmitting his thoughts but has no idea of doing so. I think an investigation is in order."  
  
The room started close round me. I felt extremely dizzy as I clutched for the bed. My most personal thoughts being transmitted to Goddess know. I can now understand why John hates me so much after the aurora chair and the chip in his head.  
  
Noranti and the others could see how upset I was and for the first time since I came aboard somebody other than you treated me kindly. The old witch placed a cup of strangely coloured liquid in my hand.  
  
"Here drink this, it'll block any telepathic signals," she said gently. I flinched away from her. Noranti may know many things but personal hygiene is not one of them.  
  
Fortunately she misinterpreted my actions. "Don't be a larvae, drink it up," she scolded gently cuffing me on the head.  
  
And then it was off to work. D'Argo, Chiana, and Aeryn prepped a Peacekeeper shuttle and filled it up with weapons and equipment while Noranti prepared batches of sleeping dusts and suggestion powders. I worked the hardest, creating aliases and false documentation among other things as Crichton looked on.  
  
Over the next several arns, the others eventually finished their tasks and hovered impatiently by me. Finally Rygel spoke up.  
  
"What's frelling taking you so long? We've been finished arns ago," the hynerian complained.  
  
"I had to make sure our documentation would pass the strictest scrutiny. I'm not sure about you but I'm particularly fond of the practice of breathing," I replied. " I've completed a set of aliases and decryption codes there's only one thing left for me to do."  
  
"And what's that, Grasshopper? You've got enough data to fill the library of congress?" said John scornfully.  
  
"Say good bye to Sikzou of course."  
  
John's eyes widened in an expression of mild shock then his features softened in something like understanding. I doubt he can ever truly see me as person and not a monster but this time he got close.  
  
"O-of course I understand" he said and let me pass. He still followed me down to your quarters.  
  
I found Stark leaning over your body with an expression of triumph on his half face. He had his hand upon you. "I've drained Sikzou's energy to keep her quiet. She's beyond your reach Scorpious. Looks like you won't be able to say good bye but don't worry I'll take real good care of her as you did me for two cycles."  
  
John held me back and dragged me away. It's the only reason why that soul- eating monster is still alive.  
  
"John let me go, listen to me. If you want to see your child born do not trust Stark," I begged. "That thing you've left with my mate is an abomination."  
  
"That's the pot calling the kettle black, Grasshopper. I trust Stark."  
  
"Well don't, Stark was placed in the Aurora chair for a reason. He's not all brightness and light. He has many secrets, done many things. He'd be more than willing to destroy innocent lives to get what he wants. It's not the first time he's done it."  
  
"Like killing ten thousand of his own people?"  
  
"More like eat the soul of your child so that Sikzou and me won't be welcome here. Believe me he can and will eat the soul of a perfectly healthy being."  
  
"You're lying. You just want to save your Peacekeeper butt."  
  
"Maybe so but I'm also interested in saving Sikzou. Don't let Stark anywhere near her, have one of the Drd's to watch her if you must but don't let him near her."  
  
By that time we had reached the docking bay. The human just shoved me in D'Argo's arms and then turned heel and left. I had no idea if he took any of my advice to heart.  
  
What's this? Is it John's pet Drd One thousand eight hundred and twelve? Well good, he's been with you all this time. I'm glad but now I'd like to spend some private time with my Sikzou. You want to hear how the story turns out?!  
  
I couldn't help but notice that neither Aeryn nor Crichton was on the shuttle. I realize that that John just didn't want to reveal the fact that he was alive just yet. I swear to you my love that if he ever does anything to hurt you again the entire galaxy will know.  
  
I sat down beside the pilot's seat where D'Argo sat and asked him how long did he expect to reach Meserat 12.  
  
The Luxan smiled crookedly and said, "Oh, we're not going to Meserat 12 just yet. We're going to make a little stopover."  
  
"And where would that be?"  
  
"At a health spa." 


	4. Call Me Fluffy

Chapter 3 Call Me Fluffy  
  
We stopped off at that base you visited which was the remains of an epileptic leviathan and his encounter with an asteroid. Chiana and Noranti marched us right out of the docking bay, and to the marketplace when we ran into a slight snag.  
  
The said marketplace was festooned with makeshift decorations. The place was packed; our march to the health spa was slowed down to a crawl. Hundreds of refugees, many of them Scarrens filled the market place. Scarrens singing, dancing, eating and drinking, it looked like they were having a huge party.  
  
Chiana found a small blonde woman with feathers for eyelashes and pulled her aside. Chiana had to shout over the carolling Scarrens, "What the frell is going on?"  
  
The woman said mincingly, "Why it's the Scarren New Year of course. Just because the Scarren Empire has fallen doesn't mean the New Year's is cancelled. They've all come here for shelter. What do you want my dear, the same thing as last time?"  
  
As I looked around I could see the Scarrens partying with grim intensity. These people as far as they were concerned were having one last fling. Many quite rightly believed it would be their last New Year's festival. It was so pathetic that I almost regretted destroying the Empire at that time. The bird woman's laughter snapped me back to reality.  
  
"You want me to turn you all into Peacekeepers? Provide with the correct documentation I can. Make you pass a genetic scan I can, even make you pass body scans but I am limited by bone structure. Most of you I can do but with some of you I'll have to be creative!" laughed the bird woman.  
  
"We are trying to gain entry into a top secret base, only Sebacians are allowed. The only way non Peacekeeper would even set foot in such a place would be wearing chains," I hissed impatiently.  
  
"Really?" she cooed. "Maybe I can help you. Follow me right this way and remember no refunds."  
  
The spa was a clean white set of rooms guarded by a pleasant looking young lady of the same species as our guide. Several other blonde women guided customers of various to the small back rooms. Our masseuse talked to the receptionist for awhile and then we each were lead to our own rooms.  
  
Another blonde woman waited for me. Most people when they first get a look at me are startled by my appearance. I admit it, I'm no beauty but this girl kept her professional demeanour at least until I took off my clothes as she suggested. Then her face blanched as she saw the vivisection scars I carried.  
  
"Okay Mr. Scarpious I mean Scorpious lie right down on the table, and I'll go right to work," she said.  
  
" I have a rather unique physiology. I need my suit to survive. Can you keep my body temperature stable while you work?" I asked.  
  
"Mr. Scorpious by the time I'm done you won't need a even need your suit."  
  
I then lay down on the table while she scanned my body with a strange looking instrument. I started to feel strange. At first I thought I was experiencing the first symptoms of heat delirium but then I realized that wasn't the case at all. It felt like every cell in my body was being scrambled with a miniature canteen food mixture.  
  
I looked down. I could see my skin and the muscles underneath rippling. I could feel the organs in my body writhing and twisting inside of me. After all D'Argo had asked that we pass a full body scan. I was starting to feel very - uncomfortable when the masseuse injected me with a tranquilizer and I felt no more.  
  
I woke up a couple of arns later, feeling very disoriented. The girl was smiling above me. She gently pulled me to my feet.  
  
"Well that was one of my hardest assignments but you should be pleased with the results. See for yourself," she pushed a mirror into my hand.  
  
A handsome, pale skinned Scarren stared up at me. The little trelk had turned me into the thing I hated the most. I flung the mirror away like it was a live grenade. I ran out of the room screaming terrified that I would be a loathsome Scarren for the rest of my life.  
  
You would think that a doped up Scarren running screaming in his underwear would attract attention but due to the nature of the New Year's Celebrations not one eyebrow was raised. Instead two very large Scarrens simply stood up from one of the many bars, put down their drinks and pinned me down.  
  
"Looks like this guy is having a bad trip, Sarly," said one of the creatures.  
  
"I agree, lets take him into the tent so he can sleep it off," said Sarly.  
  
I was putting up quite a fight so Sarly punched me in the jaw knocking me out. When I came to I was tied to a bed. I looked around as best I could.  
  
I was indeed in a tent. The place smelled of urine and vomit. I was in one of two rows of beds. In each bed lolled a doped up, drunk or genuinely ill Scarren. Many of them were tied to the bed like me. A female Scarren walked in between the beds keeping watch over her patients. When she saw I was awake she walked right over to me.  
  
"Feeling better are we?" she said as she sat down on the bed and examined me. A faint smile played on her lips. She was obviously attracted to me.  
  
"Yes, I'm all cured. Look I have to go now can you untie me?" I asked eager to get out of that tent.  
  
"Not just yet, I have to ask you a few questions first to see if you're all right. And maybe not even after that!" she ran a finger playfully down my bare chest. For the first time in my life I started to sweat.  
  
As John will undoubtedly tell you, I am very good at lying. The secret is a good mixture of the truth, an excellent memory and the ability to think fast. Quickly I formed a convincing story in my head. If I didn't I would undoubted still be tied down on that bed.  
  
The nurse asked me my name.  
  
"Wendigo - Wendigo Wentrax," I answered.  
  
"Well Wendigo, lovely name by the way. Tell me how your lovely self got into trouble?"  
  
"I came with my - friends to buy supplies to for a private celebration of the New Year. I was sampling some recreational drugs to make sure they were safe when I had a reaction."  
  
"Sampling that's a good word. When dealing with places like this you can't exactly call the board of health can you? Why didn't you just 'sample' some ethanol like a sensible person?"  
  
"Because of my mate. She's pregnant and consuming ethanol would harm the unborn foetus. She's waiting on our leviathan. She'll be worried if I'm late. May I leave now?"  
  
"Yes certainly," she said not sounding too pleased. She roughly tore off my bonds and shoved me out of tent while I was still rubbing my wrists.  
  
I didn't know where I was. Obvious it was somewhere in the common market chamber but nowhere I remembered. I wandered aimlessly throughout the lines of stalls. Finally I found a Scarren and asked him where the spa was.  
  
When I reached the spa. A different receptionist sat behind the desk this time.  
  
"Yes I'm a client here. I left in a hurry I'd like to get my clothes back," I said in the casual voice possible.  
  
She just smiled sweetly and said, " I'm sorry we don't give out freebies here. Go bother your fellow Scarkies instead."  
  
"I am not a Scarren. My name is Scorpious and I paid for your services already!'  
  
"There is indeed a record of a Mr. Scorpious in our files but you do not match his description."  
  
"That's the frelling idea isn't it!"  
  
This would have continued on like this until a small black furry canine walked right up to me and bit me on the leg. It leapt back before I could show it how I felt.  
  
"Where the frell have you been? We've been searching the entire base for you," said the dog in Rygel's voice.  
  
During my life I have seen and done many bizarre things but a talking dog is by far the strangest thing I have ever seen. I stared at the former dominar almost speechless.  
  
"Rygel?" I managed to squeak out.  
  
"Call me Fluffy, I have my vaccination and registration papers all in order."  
  
"Oh, oh, they have been creative with you haven't they?"  
  
"Not as creative we're going to be unless you wipe that smile off your face and march right back to the shuttle." 


	5. I Cannot Do That John

Chapter 4 I Cannot do That John  
  
Large red haired Sebacian pulled me into the shuttle and shoved into the pilot's seat. Inside I could see the rest of the crew were turned quite successfully into Sebacian versions of themselves.  
  
"Your whore has beaten up Stark and holed herself up into the command centre. Now she's turned off the life support system on Moya," said the Sebacian in D'Argo's voice. "I need you to talk her down now!"  
  
The comm system was on I could hear everything.  
  
"Open the doors now Sikozu," ordered John's voice.  
  
"I'm sorry. I cannot do that John," I heard you say in a far too calm voice.  
  
"If you don't turn on the life support you'll die as well," reasoned Aeryn as calmly as she could.  
  
"You murdered the only reason I have for living. That's not a good line of argument," your voice was dead.  
  
Stark gibbered in the background. "He's not dead. It was just a joke. Pilot wouldn't let us kill him."  
  
D'Argo shoved me to speak, " He's right, Sikzou. I'm not dead."  
  
"Grasshopper! I never thought I'd be glad to hear your voice," said John.  
  
"Have no further use for me eh? Now get off the line I want to speak with my mate, alone! Sikzou turn on the life support again."  
  
"How do I know this isn't another trick?" you asked quietly.  
  
"Sikzou scan the transmission triangulation. See it? I'm at base where Aeryn was abducted." The comm was silent. "Still need some convincing, all right how about some personal information. When we first met on the Command Carrier I said your hairdo looked ridiculous. Your favourite music group is the Screaming Poets, not unique but you must be the only person who actually listens to the lyrics. Please turn on the life support system, you're the only thing that makes my stay on Moya bearable."  
  
It could hear the hum as the life support equipment turned on. I'm sorry I couldn't have reached while I was on my journey but we had to maintain radio silence.  
  
Two solar cycles later we received our first transmission from Meserat 12.  
  
"This is Peacekeeper central traffic systems, state the nature of your business," droned the Sebacian on the other side.  
  
"This is Commander Bratac, transporting a Scarren prisoner and my passengers to a top secret base," replied D'Argo.  
  
"Transmit your flight plan now," ordered the voice.  
  
"My flight plan is top secret, am transmitting key code now," replied D'Argo.  
  
Peacekeepers are an extremely secretive group of people. It is common practice for ships like ours to skulk through the reaches of space on missions unknown. A key code is quite often used to let a ship pass unmolested.  
  
Suddenly it seemed like I was drowning in green light. This time every cell in my body felt like it had been turned inside out. I could hear the others crying out as the long distance bioscan did its work.  
  
After transmitting the appropriate identity codes the traffic controller permitted us to pass. As we travelled the rest of the way I noticed a shimmering shape followed us. It was a prowler in the latest stealth mode. The key code allowed us to pass unmolested but not unwatched.  
  
A few arns later we were in sight of a small station carved out of a large asteroid. Meserat 12 seemed coincidentally near my old Gammak base. As we approached the station we were scanned again. Chiana chose that time to tighten my bonds.  
  
"I realize the necessity of restraining me now but why did I have to wear them for the last two solar cycles?" I complained.  
  
"Realism," said Rygel. He still looked very much the dog.  
  
We landed unhindered into the large docking bay. A single officer stood to greet us. It was a small balding man who seemed somehow familiar. When we stepped out, over a dozen elite Peacekeeper soldiers surrounded us. Another batch swarmed into the shuttle to search it.  
  
"Commander Bratac you had two non Sebacian life forms in your shuttle you will explain now," said the balding man.  
  
I could hear the Peacekeepers click off the safety of their large rifles. They pointed the muzzles of their pulse rifles even closer to us. It was a very tense situation.  
  
If any of the others especially D'Argo had shown any fear it would have been all over. D'Argo simply stepped forward and handed a data crystal to the officer for scanning. The Luxan spoke as calmly as if he were ordering foodstuffs, "The Scarren, Wendigo Wentrax, is a prisoner to be used in a breeding program to produce heat resistant Peacekeepers and Fluffy here is a companion of Officer Norlan."  
  
The officer sneered at Noranti, "Becoming weak and sentimental in your old age are we? No self respecting Peacekeeper would be seen with a useless creature like this." He aimed a kick at Rygel.  
  
Noranti looked the closest thing to a sweet old lady the Peacekeepers ever had. She smiled gently at the officer, "Don't be fooled by appearances, Fluffy here has more skill sets than most solders."  
  
"And what brings you here?"  
  
"I'm here to test out a new training program on the cadets in order to increase their learning capabilities," she said. It was a feasible lie. On the rare occasion that a Peacekeeper actually reaches old age he is retired from active duty and assigned to a crèche. The logic behind this is that any Peacekeeper that survives to retirement must be extremely tough and cunning.  
  
Then the officer turned to Chiana eying her up and down contemptuously, "And what is your mission here, Officer Chibi?"  
  
The best way to describe how Chiana looked is PK Trelk girl. She still had greyish skin but then so does Commandant Graza. She looked him straight in the eye and said, "I'm here to assist in the breeding program."  
  
The officer burst out in laughter, " It figures, well your documentation is all in order. Why didn't you transmit your mission to us beforehand?"  
  
D'Argo had an extremely good answer, "Sir, due the controversial nature of our mission, it was deemed best to maintain complete secrecy. Most of the Peacekeeper ranks wouldn't understand the need for genetic enhancement."  
  
"Understood I'll have quarters set up for all of you in about half an arn. In the meantime we'll put the Scarren in a holding cell and you can enjoy our guest lounge."  
  
Chiana whispered something and the officer made a face. He signalled to one of the guards and I felt a pulse rifle jab me in to back. The other walked away to some place in doubt much more pleasant then I was going to as the guards herded me away. They led me into a small clean room.  
  
It was more like the quarters of senior cadet then a cell. It had a small cot and a side table with a lamp. I tried to move towards the bed but one of the soldiers slammed me face first into a wall.  
  
"That bed's not for you Scarren filth," he said as turned me to face him. They then chained me to the wall. As they left they turned out the lights and locked me in.  
  
I struggled against the chains. As you know I do not like being tied up at all. The room was almost completely dark. The only thing I could see was the faint green light of the infrared as they watched me. I was alone in the dark for about an arn. It seemed to be far longer than that. 


	6. I Thought I was the Only One

Chapter 5 I Thought I Was The Only One  
  
After what seemed like an eternity the lights snapped on. Chiana stormed in looking furious.  
  
Realizing that she could very well blow our cover I played my part. "I hope you realize that if you try to force me to recreate that the entire base here is probably watching." I pointed to a camera with my head.  
  
When she saw the camera the expression from her face fell. She then forced herself a smile and being the perfect actress said, "Let 'em watch. I'm going to punish you real good."  
  
She ripped off her jacket, punched me in the jaw and started going at me as if I was any other male with booze money. Between this she whispered in my ear, "You bastard the station commander is suspicious. Those forged orders you gave us had Commandant Graza's signature."  
  
"But of course," I hissed.  
  
"WHAT? What did you mean by of course."  
  
"Graza is dead. She's not very likely to contradict us, is she?"  
  
"Graza hated the idea of hybrids. She knew you after all. Now the station commander is having us all watched too. We dare not get out of line or we're frelled."  
  
"This is very easy to fix. Bring a data linker, my encryption algorithms and -"  
  
"Don't you listen? We're all being watched. You, me, D'Argo and Noranti."  
  
"What about Fluffy?"  
  
"FLUFFY?!"  
  
"Keep your voice down. As far as the Peacekeepers know Rygel is just a dumb animal beneath their notice. This means they won't be watching him. Stop that! Listen very carefully to what I'm saying. Find Rygel and get him to.."  
  
After a rude comment about my sexual preferences she untied me and left me alone. I tried opening the door, which was bolted shut, sat down on the bed and curled up into a ball.  
  
In no time Rygel burst through a maintenance grate, landing with a thud on the centre of the floor. He looked terrible. He was smeared with filth. Tufts of his fur had been pulled out and some little frellnik had tied cans to his tail.  
  
"Those little abominations," he panted. "They cornered me and tried to turn me into a fur coat. The little beasts waited until Noranti's back was turned. This is all your fault! I wouldn't even cross the street to feed you if you were starving but because your whore has-"  
  
I had enough and grabbed the 'dog' by the scruff of the neck, "One more word against her and I'll make you into a new pair of bedroom slippers. Now tell me did you get what I asked for?"  
  
Rygel nodded mutely.  
  
"Good, don't you ever call her a whore again! Now the first thing we need to do is set up a feed back loop on the cameras here -like so. And now did you bring that digital clip board?"  
  
"Why would you want with a seven cycles old study notes is beyond me but yes I did," replied Rygel.  
  
"Be silent! The sooner I can get the answers I came for the sooner I can go back to Sikzou!"  
  
I angrily tore off one of the wall's panels revealing the circuitry I needed. As I was about to install the clipboard to the underlining computer system Rygel spoke again.  
  
"You really do love her."  
  
"Yes I do and as soon she delivers Crichton's baby we are leaving Moya."  
  
When I had finished installing the clipboard to the station network I used my hacking skills to get a schematic of the station. Both my hearts sank. The station was far larger than it looked from the outside and my allies were scattered throughout it. Even if I could circumvent the security system (which I could) I would be stopped long before I even had an idea where I wanted to go. There were so many labs on this station I didn't know even where to start.  
  
Or maybe I did? "Rygel find Noranti, ask her to make a concoction that would allow me to home in who's been receiving my telepathic signal. Also I need my cooling suit there's no way I can fit through that air vent as a Scarren and simply walking out the door in any form is out of the question."  
  
"And what about the others? Are you going to abandon them here?"  
  
"That is Crichton's style. No, as of right now it would take an entire army to even attempt a rescue of any sort."  
  
I then cleaned up Rygel and sent him on his way. In no time at all he came back with exactly what I needed, my suit and a small vial of brownish vile tasting liquid. The effects were immediate. It was like someone had placed a compass in my brain and the needle pointed right through my skull.  
  
I shooed Rygel away for the next part or so I thought. I pulled out the morphic implant in the back of my neck and reverted back to my original form. If I thought turning into a Scarren was painful, it was nothing like turning back into my old self.  
  
At least in that case I had anaesthetics and medical supervision. No such luck here, I fell down to the ground writhing in agony. My vision blurred, I could hear someone moaning. I blacked out.  
  
I woke up later in a puddle of my various bodily fluids. I found a small sink in an alcove and cleaned myself up. When I looked into the mirror I realized how much I had lost control. The pain had been so bad I had actually wept! No doubt any Peacekeeper who had heard this had enjoyed hearing me suffer.  
  
I was starting to feel very warm so I hurried back to put on coolant suit. Rygel was there, waiting for me.  
  
"Goddess! What happened to you?" he gasped.  
  
"The Scarrens are what happened to me. You see I was created as a tool of propaganda to prove how worthless Peacekeepers were, not even fit for breeding purposes. When I proved to be too healthy for their purposes they removed the organs I used for heat regulation. Ever since I was twelve I've been essentially an invalid."  
  
Rygel shook his head in disbelief. When I had finished putting on my suit he announced that he was following me.  
  
"Playing Chiana to my Sikzou are we? Even if I did betray you, you couldn't tell until it was too late!"  
  
"That's not it, you'll need someone to watch your back," he lied. Even though had had just gained his sympathy I did not gain his trust. Or it could have been the fact that if it were one of his wives in your position he would betray the others.  
  
I climbed into the maintenance vent with Rygel right behind me. It was a tight fit and only a contortionist could have made it through all the bends and turns. You discovered how limber I was the first night we made love.  
  
After following my internal compass for about two arns we had finally reached our destination. Rygel was panting behind me. I, on the other hand, was still ready for more. You remember my stamina, my love.  
  
I pulled off the grate, disabled the security alarm and climbed down into the large room. It was a biolab of some sort. Dozens of bodies lay on tables. A flickering reddish field kept each body in some sort of stasis. Their eyes rolled under their closed eyes as they dreamed some nightmarish dream. It was a terrible sight but that was not the worst of it. Each and every body in that room looked exactly like me right down to the suit I wore. They were me.  
  
I stood in stunned silence as I stared at my clones. The sight was absolutely unacceptable but there it was. I thought I was like everyone else in the universe. I thought I was the only one but there they lay mocking me and my self worth.  
  
I so struck by this horrible revelation I did not hear two technicians talking right outside the lab but Rygel did. He barked me a warning just as the lab door swished open. I stood right in the frelling open with only microts to find a decent hiding place. Needless to say I was in deep dren. 


End file.
